SONG OF THE DAY [#330]

'six different ways' [the cure cover] | the postmarks

from the get go the postmarks drew comparisons to saint etienne. this, of course, made me notice them because depending on the day, my favorite bands of all-time are depeche mode and saint etienne.

after hearing the postmarks debut album a year or two ago, however, i wasn't really buying the comparison. sure, the two bands were fairly similar, but the postmarks sounded more like a couple of saint etienne songs rather saint etienne the band.

that all changed, however, when i heard the postmarks' cover of the cure's classic, 'six different ways.' it's 110% saint etienne. [that's not a slight, but a good, old-fashioned pat on the back. good on ya, postmarks]. their version of 'six different ways' sounds like it belongs with those absolutely classic 'he's on the phone' b-sides 'groveley road,' 'the process,' and 'is it true.' those three songs are three of my fav saint etienne songs, so, you know...

aside from the fact that the postmarks' version of 'six different ways' sound terrific, it bears not a single resemblance to the original. in fact, were it not for the lyrics, i might not of known it was the cure they were covering. it's refreshing because in this day and age of vapid and banal cover songs [which usually consist of some dood or chick with willowy, wispy vocals and a guitar basically just playing an acoustic version of the song. in my opinion that's not really a cover, but rather a gimmick and an attention-grabber], the postmarks manage to make 'six different ways' completely their own. it's no small feat and it's gutsy because they didn't take the easy way out like so many bands do.

so enjoy some postmarks, some cure, and some mighty saint etienne... and have a great weekend!

→ the postmarks: six different ways
→ the postmarks: goodbye [tahiti 80 remix]
→ the cure: six different ways
→ saint etienne: groveley road
→ saint etienne: the process
→ saint etienne: is it true

SONG OF THE DAY [#329]

'forever' | walter meego

i remember the time i heard 'way you walk' by papas fritas on that dentyne ice commercial about four or five years ago. i loved the song the second i heard it, but i didn't know who sang it. thanks heavens for the internet. after a cursory search, i found that it was the papas fritas. 'hey, i'm just gonna check my itunes and see what i gots.' sure enough, i had it. i didn't even know i had it! that's just crazy sauce.

well, last week while i was down visiting the holy land, er, los angeles, i heard this killer song on a heinekin commercial. it was highly groovy and ridiculously catchy. 'i gotta have this song!' i said. when i got home on sunday i started searching and discovered it was walter meego. 'hey, i'm gonna check my itunes and see what i gots.' yep. paydirt. i really should have a better knowledge of what i have.

'forever' is about as kick a** a summer song as there can possibly be. like i said, it's so catchy it's stupid. and i just love that squealing guitar lick. highly, highly awesome. trust me, kids, one listen and you'll have it in your head for days.

you can check out walter meego here and here. so go do it.

→ walter meego: forever
→ walter meego: girls
→ papas fritas: way you walk | video [just to, you know, stay with the theme.]

SONG OF THE DAY [#328]

'repetition kills you' | the black ghosts

this has to be one of the most awkward band promo shots ever taken. something just doesn't look right. i don't really know what it is or why it's mildly creeping me out. maybe 'cos they look like they belong in a wax museum? i dunno. i can say this, though: 'the black ghosts' is perhaps the most accurately self-reflexive band name in the history of band names. i can hear the conversation now: 'hey, we're a couple of pasty white doods wearing black. let's call ourselves the black ghosts.' genius. pure genius.

'repetition ' i believe, will be the first single, or already is the first single, from black ghosts debut album, 'the black ghosts' [i wonder how long it took to come up with that one.] which drops july 8. at first listen, 'repetition' sounds like something hot chip recorded about three years ago. but it's a pretty cool song. i've had it on repeat all day. it's even got erstwhile head gorilla[z] and blur frontman damon albarn doing some guesty vocals. sometimes i wish damon would ditch the side projects and just get on that next blur album.

→ the black ghosts: repetition kills you | video
→ the black ghosts: something new [galactic version feat. i feel space]
→ the black ghosts: let's get physical [yes, you read that correctly.]

SONG OF THE DAY [#327]

'heartbreak make me a dancer' sophie ellis-bextor

any day i can do a sophie ellis-bextor post is a very good day, indeed.

turns out sophie has released a couple of new tracks to her myspace page [can a new album be too terribly far behind? i've got my fingers, toes and eyes crossed--maybe that's why i'm not seeing so well today]. all i can say is god bless her for it. we all need more sophie in our lives. and if you don't, i'll gladly take yours.

the first, and the superior track in my opinion, is 'heartbreak make me a dancer.' it's another glammed up, silky, seductive dance track. the other, 'off and on,' was originally recorded by roisin murphy, but never officially released.

ok, excuse me while end this post and stare at sophie's picture. :::swoon:::

→ sophie ellis-bextor: heartbreak make me a dancer
→ sophie ellis-bextor: off and on

p.s. i'm leaving for the motherland tonight and i'll be out of town all next week, so no songs for bit...

SONG OF THE DAY [#326]

'never never' | the warm jets

the warm jets were one of the more unfortunate casualties of the britpop explosion of the mid-90s. though if you were a fan of music back then, it's really pretty easy to see why: three words in their name. in the age of suede, pulp, blur, oasis, sleeper, echobelly, elastica, gene, supergrass, radiohead, and countless others one-named bands, a band with two words in their name, much less three, really didn't stand a chance. what a shame.

in all seriousness, the warm jets were a really fantastic band. ten years on since their first--and only--album, 'future signs,' hardly a month goes by where i don't listen to 'never never' or 'hurricane.' they're still great songs and stick rock just as mightily back then as they do today. the album is long since out of print [i'm sure you could find it used on amazon], but if you want to give it a listen, you can download it here. [and i highly suggest you do!] there, you can't say i never did anything for you.

→ the warm jets: never never | video
→ the warm jets: hurricane